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ROME, ITALY - Surprise Serie A pacemakers Lazio are confident they can add to AC Milan's troubles in Sunday's visit to the San Siro.
The Rome side, who fell into financial trouble after lifting the 2000 title and now have few big names, share the top spot with Atalanta after scoring six goals and conceding just one to win their first two games.
Milan, in contrast, prop up the table with Cagliari after losing 2-0 and 2-1 to Genoa and Bologna respectively, despite the arrival of Ballon d'Or-winning forwards Ronaldinho and Andriy Shevchenko in the close season.
"It's a difficult match, perhaps more so because they have lost both their games in the championship," Lazio's Macedonia striker Goran Pandev told reporters.
"But we'll go there to win. I have a feeling we'll give a great performance. It would be the best way to respond to those who think we are up there in the standings by chance."
The poor start has increased the pressure on Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti, whose side entertain Zurich in the UEFA Cup on Thursday after they missed out on the Champions League with a disappointing fifth-placed finish in Serie A last season.
DELICATE TIME
Chief executive Adriano Galliani has said the coach's job in not in danger and Ancelotti believes he is close to turning things around.
"It's a delicate time, but I see extraordinary will from everyone to get out of it," he told a news conference.
"At Monday's meeting (with Galliani and club staff) there was self-criticism from everyone. I've made mistakes too. But we are on the right road to recover."
Title-holders Inter Milan visit Torino on Sunday on a high after winning their Champions League opener at Panathinaikos 2-0 on Tuesday and beating Catania 2-1 last weekend to claim their first league victory of the season.
Juventus travel to Cagliari in fine fettle too, thanks to Wednesday's 1-0 win over Zenit St Petersburg on their return to the group stage of competition they won in 1985 and 1996.
Last term's runners-up AS Roma, meanwhile, are aiming to rebound in their home match with Reggina on Saturday after Tuesday's shock 2-1 defeat to Champions League debutants CFR Cluj of Romanian and last weekend's 3-1 loss at Palermo.
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